


for auld lang syne

by likeanchors



Category: One Direction (Band), Radio 1 RPF
Genre: M/M, New Year's Eve, Post Break-up, flangst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-31
Updated: 2012-12-31
Packaged: 2018-01-26 03:16:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1672676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likeanchors/pseuds/likeanchors
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"How can you be in love with him and still shag anything in sight?"  (New Years fic)</p>
            </blockquote>





	for auld lang syne

“How can you be in love with him and still shag anything in sight?” Henry’s voice held a hint of awe and amusement, his eyes twinkling with mirth under the glaze of too much alcohol. “Everyone knows Louis’ in love with you, mate.”

 

Nick exhaled noisily and rolled his eyes, turning his entire body away from his friends and inadvertently angling himself towards the dance floor. Head down, Nick looked up, through his eyelashes, and watched Louis move. His sinuous body moving in careless circles, his arse and hip occasionally rubbing against the crotch of the bloke he was dancing with.

 

“I don’t shag _anything_ in sight.” Nick sighed loudly and carefully swirled the remaining liquid in his glass, the ice clinking against the side before sending a splash of vodka infused juice over his wrist. What he meant to say was he hadn’t been shagging _anyone_. At all. Not since Louis anyway. Pride was a difficult thing to wrestle with at the best of times and Nick definitely wasn’t about to let anyone see the chink in his armour when it came to Louis bloody Tomlinson.

 

There were a few more comments about Nick’s sex life that Nick barely heard before the topic slowly trickled to an end and they were talking about plans for Easter hols. From beneath his eyelashes, Nick watched Louis wrap his arms around the other guy’s shoulders and press his lips to the underside of the stocky bloke’s throat. There was something about emotional pain that always took Nick by surprise; the horrible swooping of his gut and the too tight feeling in his chest that hurt more than it should have considering there was nothing wrong with him.

 

“You alright?” It could’ve been any of the girls, soft breasts and belly pressed against his side, a small hand and sharp nails at his hip.

 

“ ‘m fine,” Nick ground out. Turning his head, Nick looked down and saw Pixie’s big brown eyes staring up at him, positively oozing concern. “Honestly, darling, I’m perfectly fine.”

 

Flashing Pixie a giant grin that was too much teeth to be sincere, Nick wrapped his arm around Pixie’s shoulder and pulled her in close before dropping a smacking kiss to her forehead, “Now stop worrying or you’ll get wrinkles.” Pixie swatted Nick’s stomach and gripped him tighter before pulling away. In the distance he could hear people counting down, the digital countdown projected on the wall slowly making its way from ten towards one and the slow rising hum of energy that dripped off of everyone in room. There was a persistent clanging and Nick felt his chest clench painfully again.

 

Pixie’s eyes drifted over to where Louis was and Nick rolled his eyes before sneaking a look himself. In that moment, seeing Louis kiss someone else was more painful than that time he had fallen off of the fence and broken his arm, the time he had burnt his hand and the time Aimee had accidentally broken his nose with a couch cushion combined. It hurt more than anything ever had the right to hurt.

 

“We should’ve gone somewhere else, I’m sorry, love,” Pixie murmured, her hand lightly rubbing against Nick’s arm in a way that should’ve been soothing, were it not for the aching in Nick’s chest and head.

 

Shrugging and shaking his head, Nick gave Pixie the kindest smile he could muster. “Forget about it, now I need a slash.” Nick let out a low chuckle when her nose scrunched up.

 

Braced over the urinal with one hand against the wall, Nick looked up at the loud blast of music from the opening door. He almost wanted to laugh. Nick had no idea which faceless deity he had pissed off but he liked their sense of irony.

 

Keeping his eyes down, Nick couldn’t resist the urge to glance out of the corner of his eye as he was tucking himself away. The other guy was huge. Zipping himself up, Nick turned to wash his hands and swallowed back the bitter taste of bile that was rising in his gorge. No wonder Louis seemed to like him so much, size queen that he was.

 

It was uncomfortable, at least from Nick’s point of view, and he really had no real reason to stay any longer but hindsight is twenty-twenty and Nick wasn’t known for his good decisions let alone after a dozen vodka cocktails. With his hands under the hand-drier, Nick flashed the other guy a brief smile before remembering that they were in a public restroom of all places. 

Clearing his throat, Nick ran one hand through his hair and made to open the door before stopping and glancing over his shoulder. It was a bad idea, terrible really, but the words were out before he could stop himself.

 

“Just, be careful with him, yeah?” Over his shoulder, Nick could see the other bloke’s brow furrow. “Louis. He’s not as tough as he makes out to be.” Biting the inside of his lip to stop himself, Nick turned back towards the door and pushed it open. He wanted to say it, needed to say it but–

 

“What’s it to you?” His voice was soft yet sturdy at the same time which did very little to help Nick feel at ease.

 

“That boy who was out there in your arms,” Nick swallowed thickly and lowered his head. “He’s my entire world. So just be careful with him, okay?”

 

Nick didn’t wait for an answer; he pushed himself through the door and into the thick throng of people. Nick barely made it back to the table before collapsing onto the bench between Henry and Pixie. There was an almost silent understanding. Pixie wound herself around Nick while Henry pushed a drink into Nick’s hand.

 

There was a commotion on the other side of the room. Over people’s heads Nick could see a flurry of hands and arms waving about. The crowd seemed to surge inwards towards whatever was happening before the crowd parted and Louis clawed his way out like some furious, avenging angel. Louis had a face like thunder as he stood over their table, fists on hips and feet set apart like he was ready to take on the world.

 

For the second time that night, Nick felt the discomfort of his emotional turmoil take on a physical pain and before he realised it, Nick shied away from Louis’ stare. Something about that or whatever else Louis might have seen seemed to deflate him and he visibly softened before cocking his head towards the door.

 

“We should probably talk, yeah?” Louis asked, a hesitance Nick had never heard in his voice.

 

Nick nodded once, twice and a third time before Pixie’s gentle hands propelled him out of his seat and towards Louis. Stumbling over his own feet, Nick tried to fight back the thrill of hope that shot through him when Louis reached out to steady him. Maybe, just maybe everything was going to work out okay after all. And maybe this _was_ going to be a good year after all.


End file.
